Filling feeler device for change-box looms



April 24, 1934. E. w. BARRETT 1,956,114

FILLING FEELER DEVICE FOR CHANGE BOX LOOMS Filed May 2. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 24, 1934. E. w. BARRETT 1,956,114

FILLING FEELER DEVICE FOR CHANGE BOX LOQMS Filed May 2, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 illlTl'nlmllllllllllm April 24, 1934. E. w. BARRETT 1,955,114

FILLING FEELER DEVICE FOR CHANGE BOX LQOMS Filed May 2, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 [NVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

45 boxes.

Patented Apr. 24, 1934 PATN'I' QFHCE FILLING FEELER DEVICE FOR CHANGE-BOX LOOMS Edwin W. Barrett, Boston, Mass, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 2, 1931, Serial No. 534,522

2 Claims. (01. 139-286) The invention has relation to filling-feeler or detector mechanisms for looms and in particular for change-box looms which are used in weaving Woolen and especially silk goods for the purpose 5 of mixing filling. The mixing of filling prevents perceptible contrasts and areas of differing shades in the finished material. Two-cell box looms may also be used in weaving crepes or like materials.

For the purpose of mixing filling, and making crepe weaves, change-box looms are employed usually having two shifting shuttle-boxes or cells each of which is alternately brought into working relation with the shuttleraoe for two picks and then maintained in idle relation for two picks.

A main object of the invention is to provide filling-feeler mechanism for use in a loom employed for mixing filling or weaving crepe, such feeler mechanism being designed to perform the usual function of such devices in calling a change in the looms operation just prior to complete exhaustion of the filling-supplies, and additionally contrived to bring the substantially exhaust- ;5 ed filling supply to rest in the shuttle-box which is most suitable to permit and facilitate the replenishment of such exhausted supply by a fresh supply, whether such replenishment be done by hand or accomplished automatically.

In a change-box loom, it is common to arrange the feeler to feel the filling-supply when the latter is in the plain box at the opposite end of the lay from the change-boxes, on account of the mechanical difficulties involved in perform- .25 ing the feeling operation upon a filling-supply when contained in the vertically moving changeboxes. But the feeling action is performed at so brief an instant before the shuttle containing the filling-supply is picked out of the shuttle- 10 box at the plain box end of the lay, that there is not time conveniently to effect the desired change in the working of the loom following deteotion of substantial exhaustion before the shuttle has been picked across into the change- Yet the replenishment of filling can be accomplished most conveniently when the shuttle to be replenished is at the plain box end of the lay, and this state of affairs does not arise until after the fourth pick following the detection of substantial exhaustion by a filling-feeler mounted in usual manner on the breast beam to feel the filling when the latter is at the plain box end of the lay.

To adapt the usual type of feeler mounted on 5 the breast beam to use in a loom for mixing filling or weaving crepe, etc., the invention provides a feeler at the plain box end of the loom having means for delaying the calling of the change for the necessary length of time to permit return of the filling-supply found to be deficient into the plain box.

Weft detectors of side slipping type have heretofore been required to move an indicating part, such as a rod or a lever, in order to initiate a change in the operation of the loom. The detector has therefore been set so as to derive sufficient force from the surface being detected not only to cause swinging of itself but also movement of the rod or the like. It is an important object of my present invention to indicate the loom by a member which is normally supported by the detector but which is left unsupported to fall by gravity when the detector swings at weft exhaustion. In this way the only force which the detector must derive from the surface being detected is that required to swing the detector on its pivot, and also the slight force to overcome the frictional contact between the detector and the indicator. This force assists in restraining vibration of the detector, thereby aiding the light spring used to restore the detector to normal position after an indicating movement.

A side slipping detector operating as set forth herein swings in a plane across which the controller or indicator tends to move by gravity. The controller is normally held from crossing the plane when sufficient weft is present by a non-pivotal movement of the detector, but if the indicator has moved downwardly across the plane the detector is prevented from being restored to its normal position. It is a further object of my invention to provide means for automatically restoring the indicator to a position above the plane of movement of the detector through motion derived from some part which moves incident to the replenishment or loom stoppage, such for instance, as movement of the shipper mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide simplified, easy, and positive means for positioning the feeler at the proper height and point in the length of the lay to enter accurately the slot in the shuttle, and to provide for this purpose an attachment giving a considerable range of adiustment so that it may be used on a variety of looms of different designs, and which will also serve to protect and guard the feeler from displacement and arrangement through contact with the weavers body when working about the loom,

or through engagement with other moving objects, such attachment also serving as a. stop to limit the movement of the shipper-handle in assuming either its on or off position. The features pertaining to this latter aim as well as to other objects of the invention, and the manner in. which these objects are attained, will appear from the specification and claims forming a part hereof, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of certain of the parts at the plain feeler comprises through the contraction of the spring 45.

box side of a. loom, showing a side-slipping feeler mounted on the breast beam and operatively connected with the loom-stopping devices to actuate the latter through intermediate delay-producing devices.

Fig. 3 is a plan view including the end of the breast beam and certain parts of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the relationship after the feeler has detected substantial exhaustion of filling, but before the stopping devices have been actuated.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of parts when an electric feeler is used instead or the mechanical sideslipping feeler.

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section on line 6, 6, of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 77, Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view in end elevation of certain parts of the transferrer mechanism, the lay and shuttle being in vertical section, and

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of a detector lever having a shoe of friction material.

The drawings show only so much of the mechanism at the plain box side of a change-box loom as is necessary for an understanding of the application of the invention thereto.

At 1 is indicated a portion of the breast beam at the right hand end thereof, mounted in usual manner on the loom-side 3. At the junction of breast beam and loom-side is applied the novel attachment 5, serving as a combined shipperhandle stop, feeler-stand, and feeler-guard. It comprises a generally rectangular metal loop one side of which is a plate 7 adapted to be attached by suitable bolts 9, 10, to the loom-side and breast beam, respectively. The rearward side 13 of the loop is made of substantial thickness and of sufficient vertical. height] to permit the formation of a horizontal slot 15 therein, while the forward face of this side is provided with vertical grooves or corrugations 17, into which one or more corresponding vertical projections 19 on an angle-piece enter to insure the angle-piece being maintained in proper vertical relation when clamped against the side 13, by means of its single bolt 23. The the filling-engaging tip 25 mounted in a hub 27 having a forwardly-extending fiat-topped tail 29, these parts comprising the feeler-member and rotating about a pivot 31 fixed in a slide 33. The latter slides freely in guideways formed between the feeler-base 35 and the cover 37 therefor, and the feeler-member is held in its proper angular presentation position shown in Fig. 3 with the stop 39 against the lefthand side of the hub 27 rearward of the pivot, The spring is hooked through the proper one of a series of holes in the feeler-tail 29 and anchored to therear end of an arm 47 extending from the cover 37. The carrier 33 is held yieldingly rearward by a contracting spring 40 anchored at 42 to an eye on the feeler-base, and with its other end attached to a member 43 fixed on the carrier, such member also engaging the feeler-base in its rearward movement to act as a stop.

The feeler is connected to actuate the changecalling devices of the loom when it detects substantial exhaustion of the filling-supply, and for present purposes the change-calling devices of Figs. 1-7 comprise the shipper and brake handles effective to stop the loom to permit replenishment of the filling-supply. In Fig. 8 the mechanism is designed to lift the dog 200 of the usual transferrer 202 of the familiar automatic filling replenishing mechanism, such as shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,394,175, Jackson, into the path of the hunter 204 on the lay, to effect automatic renewal of the filling-supply. The push-rod is provided with a lost-motion connection in the eye 206 which fits over the pin 11 of such patent, for purposes made plain hereinafter.

In accordance with the invention, the transmittal of the change-calling impulse to the appropriate devices either to stop the loom for hand renewal or to replenish the supply automatically, must be delayed or timed so as to bring the shut tle found to contain a defective supply into the plain box, which means four picks later, in a loom with two cells or shifting shuttle-boxes used for mixing filling o-r weaving crepe and employing a feeler on the breast beam cooperating with the plain box, as seen hereinbefore.

To this end the presser 49 is provided, fixed on. a pintle 51 by a set-screw 53, and mounted to swing freely in lugs 55 on the cover 37 of the feeler device proper. A torsion spring 57 is confined with one lug and with a collar 59 fixed on the pintle and acts with a tendency to lift the free end of the presser away from the underlying cover 37. 29 of the feeler-member, herein by means of a foot 59, Figs. 1 and 4, with most of its weight and that of the parts connected to it borne by the torsion spring 57. So long as the feeler-member encounters an adequate supply The presser rests lightly upon the tail 1 of filling, its serrated feeler-tip 25 is prevented y from slipping sidewise, in well-known manner, and the tail 29 slides idly forward and back be neath the foot 59, supporting it continuously. When the supply of filling approaches exhaustion, and the few remaining turns of filling thereof become inadequate to prevent the feeler-tip from slipping along the nearly bare bobbin on which the filling is wound, the feeler-member swings on its pivot 31 and its tail 29 moves laterally out from under the foot 59, and the presser 4.9 drops into the position shown in Fig. 4.

The presser has a lateral arm 61 which is attached through a link 63 to a holding-pawl 65 pivoted on a stud 67 fixed in the plate 72 attached to the loom-side 1. This pawl acts on a ratchet 69 swinging on a stud 71 fixed in the plate 72. ad-

justably mounted on the loom-side, the ratchet having an integral arm 73 to which is applied any suitable connection for actuating the change-calling devices of the loom. Herein, a simple pushrod 75 is used, guided as by a hole in bracket 77 to strike the brake-handle 79, or a lug 81 specially provided thereon for the purpose. When the ratchet is moved a sufiicient distance in a c1ocl.- wise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 or 4, the pushrod 75 rocks the brake-handle 79 about center 83 to apply the brake and correspondingly moves the shipper-handle 85 to unship the power.

The ratch 69 is contrived to be moved one and arm 73.

tooth at a time by a feed-pawl 87 that is pivoted at 89 to a rock-arm 91 swinging about the stud '71 and suitably actuated back and forth constantly over the ratchet during the working of the loom in definite relation with the picking mechanism. Herein, the rock-arm 91 has a link 93 pivoted to it at 95 and given an up-and-down movement through having its lower end connected to an arm 97 fixed as by bolts 99 to the sleeve 100 moving with the lay rockershait.

The feed-pawl 87 has a finger 102 overlying the holding-pawl 65 in such manner that the feedpawl cannot engage the ratchet so long as the holding-pawl 65 is held up out of engagement with ratchet 69 as is the normal situation so long as the feeler-member is restrained from side-slipping owing to the adequacy of the filling-supply and the presser 49 remains upheld by the feeler-tail. When the feeler-memher swings sidewise, however, on finding the fillin -supply nearly exhausted, it lets the presser 49 drop, and this in turn lowers both the holding-pawl 65 and the feedpawl 87 onto the ratchet teeth.

The stroke of the feed-pawl is of suificient length and its range of movement as chosen, (the latter by proper positioning of the collar 104 on link 93) as to feed the ratchet clockwise one tooth at each beat of the lay, which means at each pick of the loom, the holding-pawl entering the notch in front of each tooth at the completion of the feed-pawls rearward movement. Thus the arm 73 and the push-rod '75 are lifted step by step for four successive picks after the feeler has detected substantial exhaustion of the filling. By adjustment of the link-pin 106 along its slot 108 in the end of arm '73, (such adjustment being maintained by nut 109), the parts are timed so that in the course of the movement of the frontmost or last tooth of the four past the holding-pawl, the brake-handle 79 will be lifted past its centers through engagement of the upper end of the pushrod 75 with the lug 81, and the power will be .unshipped and the brake applied. It will be understood that the parts will be timed by adjustment of pin 106 in slot 108 so that the change will be called at the proper moment to bring the deficient filling-supply to rest in the plain shuttle-box. regardless of whether the brake is in such order as to bring the loom to rest promptly, or otherwise, and it is not necessary toutilize the fourth tooth of the ratchet where the brake is slow-acting, since under these conditions it will be suificient to move the brake-handle at or about the time of the third pick following detection of exhaustion of filling.

To reset the devices involved in the invention automatically after thus calling the change, the pintle 51 to which the presser 49 is fixed is continued downward as at 110, and a rod 112 is fixed in the shipper-handle 85 as by a set-screw 114, so that as the handle flies rearward this rod will push the part rearward, thus lifting the presser 49 to allow the feeler-tail to resume its position and again support the presser when the latter descends upon restoration of the shipper- .handle to running position. The upward movement of the presser lifts both pawls out of engagement with the ratchet, which then gravitates counterclockwise until its arm 73 comes into contact with a stop formed by the end of an arm 116 fixed on the stud 71 by a set-screw 118. It is to be noted that angular adjustment of arm 116 about its stud can be employed independently or in connection with the collar 104. Another adjustment is possible in connection with rod '75 If desired, the stud 106 extending through slot 108 of arm 73 may have a shoulder 107, Fig. 6, to be drawn tightly against the arm by a nut 109. In this way the stud 106 may be moved to and held in any desired position in slot 108 to afford an adjustment of the rod '75 relatively to the lug 81 on the brake handle. By means of these adjustments, where a two-box change-box loom is used as a plain loom, with only one box working, the arm 116 will be shifted so that when the ieeler-tail drops the presser the proper notch (for example the second from the rear) will be under the descending holdingpawl to assure stopping the loom within two picks after the feeler has acted. Thus the filling will stand in the plain box when the change is called,

conducting surface, the two plungers 120, leads 122, 124, the source or" electric current 126, magnet box 128 suitably mounted on a bracket on the loom-side, and a switch 130 having an operating arm 132 which tends to move toward the front of the loom to shut off the current but which is held in on relation through engagement with the lower end of the shipper-handle 85 or other suitable part or" the shipper-handle or brake-handle connection when these handles are in running relation. The armature 12-6 of the magnet box 128 is attached by link 138 to a lever 140 normally held in its full-line position with its rear end raised by means of an adjustable weight 142. The rear end of this lever has a pin 144 which stands under the extended rear end of the holding pawl 146. Both the lever and the holding pawl are pivoted on the stud 67 fixed in the plate 72 on the loom-side. The feed-pawl 87 has the same finger 102 standing above the holding pawl so as to be held clear of the ratchet so long as the holding pawl is supported by the action of lever 140 and its weight 142. When an exhausted idle shuttle presented to the detector the following circuit will be closed: battery 126, wire 160, ground, Wire 122, weft detector and exhausted shuttle, wire 124, wire 161, magnet box 128, wire 162, switch 130, wire 163, back to the battery. Current in this circuit causes the magnet box to attract its armature 136, the resul of which is two-fold, first, rod 133 is raised, and second, the armature engages contact 164. A second circuit is now closed, as follows: battery 126, wire 160, ground, wire 165, core 166 of the magnet, armature 136, contact 164, Wires 16'? and 161, magnet box 126, wire 162, switch 130, wire 163, back to the battery. This shunt or parallel circuit is independent of the detector, and remains closed as long as switch 130 is closed to maintain the magnet energized. In this Way the rod 138 is held raised after the first circuit has been broken by the second circuit is opened, thereby causing release of the armature and dropping of the rod 138 to reset the device to normal position.

To insure resetting, however, resort may be had to the arrangement of a hump or shoulder 150 on the holding pawl, to be struck by a projection 152 on the frontward end of the ratchet as the feed-pawl moves rearward in engagement with the frontward tooth of the series on the ratchet. This engagement of the projection with the hump 150 lifts the holding pawl out of engagement, and the holding pawl lifts the other pawl, and thereupon the lever, ratchet, and armature are restored to their original position by weight 142.

It is usually found that the lag in the electrical feeler system is so great that the parts have not assumed operative relation until considerably after the first pick following detection of substantial exhaustion. Hence the delay in calling the change which is to be measured by the devices of the invention only amounts to three picks, and therefore a 3-tooth ratchet is all that is needed here.

Regarding the feature of the invention having to do with steadying the mechanical side-- slipping feeler at the moment of making contact with the wound mass of filling,this is accomplished in the present instance through the provision of the presser 49 having its foot 59 resting on the tail 29 of the feeler-member. It acts through a combination of pressure and friction to steady the feeler at this crucial moment, minimizing and damping out the latters tendency to vibrate under the blow, to rebound under the impact, to overthrow at the end of its forward travel under the push of the filling, and through these results as well as through resisting the feelers tendency to turn on its pivot 31 before it starts forward saves the filling from a large part of the wear and tear which splits and frays and otherwise damages the filling during the continued pounding imposed on the same turns during the extended period of operation of each bobbin, all as well-known to those experienced in the art of weaving.

The degree of pressure and friction can be adjusted to give the best results through varying the tension of the torsion spring 5'? by manipulation of the collar 59. Where varied friction with unchanged pressure is desired, a shoe 200, see Fig. 9, of the proper frictional material may be interposed between the foot 59 and the tail 29. It is immaterial to this feature of the invention whether the friction and pressure be applied to the swinging feeler-inember in front of or behind the pivot 31, and it is contemplated to employ this principle in connection with sideslipping feeler-members which slide forward and swing laterally without the use of any pivotal mounting on a carrier like that indicated herein at 33.

Reverting to the combined shipper-handle stop and feeler-support and guard 5, this arrangement simplifies the construction at a relatively congested location of the loom, through making one part serve the double function of feeler-stand and shipper-handle stop; this reduction of parts at such location is especially important in automatic looms, because the magazine and transfer mechanism therefor are usually located at this point in the loom. The part 13 through limiting the rearward movement of the shipper-handle 85 prevents the occurrence .of serious damage and breakage of parts resulting in case the shipper-handle comes loose from its connections, as sometimes happens, in which circumstances the shipper-handle frequently falls over rearward to be struck by the lay with obvious harmful results. The portion 190 of the device 5 performs a similar limiting function in determining the most forward position of the shipper-handle. The portion 192, joining the front and back portions, serves to strengthen the latter in their extent out from the end of the breast beam, and combines with these front and back portions to form an enclosure fencing in the relatively delicate feeler and parts connected thereto, shielding these parts from contact with the weavers body and other moving bodies which could damage or derange the action of this mechanism.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a loom, a weft detector movable from normal to indicating position at weft exhaustion, mechanism to effect a change in loom operation, a controller for said mechanism normally tending to move by gravity to a position to render the mechanism operative and supported by the detector when the latter is in normal position, the detector when moving to indicating position removing support from the controller and the later thereupon falling to render the mechanism operative, and resilient variable means connected to the controller to oppose gravity when the controller falls.

2. In a loom, a weft detector movable from normal to indicating position at weft exhaustion, mechanism to effect a change in loom operation, a controller for said mechanism normally tending to move by gravity to a position to render the mechanism operative and supported by the detector when the latter is in normal position, the detector when moving to indicating position removing support from the controller and the latter thereupon moving to render the mechanism operative, resilient variable means connected to the controller to oppose gravity when the controller falls, and a resetter for the controller supporting the resilient means.

EDWIN W. BARRETT. 

